Coin-freed delivery apparatus



Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,535

H. BROOKER COIN FREED DELIVERY APPARATUS Filed Dec- 2'7. 1920 Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UMTE STATES HENRY BROOKER, OF GOODMAYES, ENGLAND.

COIN-FREEZE) DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Application filed December 27', 1920. 7 Serial No. 433,402.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT bFMARCH 3, 1921, 41 STATI L., 1313.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY BROOKER, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Goodmayes, in the county of Essex, England (whose postofiice address is 13 Castleton Road, Goodmayes, in the county of Essex, England), have invented certain new and useful Im: provements in and Relating to Coin-Freed Delivery Apparatus (for which I have filed an application in Great Britain on January 9, 1919, Patent No. 141,135) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention consists principally in providing, in coin freed sale or delivery apparatus, means whereby the delivery mechanism will be energized, wound up or set in successive stages by a predetermined number of coins successively inserted, preferably through one and the same coin slot, and the delivery mechanism will only be re leased by coin action, so as to deliver the comprises a main lever or rocking bar, pivoted at or towards the upper part of the framework of the mechanism, and in connection with the said lever means adapted to be acted upon by each coin inserted through the coin slot so that the said main lever with its attached parts (constituting the delivery mechanism) is moved or set step by step or in successive stages by each coin inserted until ;it is moved to 1ts fully set position in which it is engaged by a suitable catch or trip lever adapted to be actuated so as to release the said main lever, by the action of a falling coin or coins, whereupon the main lever is moved by gravity or spring action, orboth, so as to deliver the stamp,

ticket or other article through a suitable aperture in the casing of the apparatus.

Further according to this invention the above mentioned means, in connection with the main lever or delivery mechanism and whereby the said lever or mechanism is moved or set in stages by the coins successively inserted in the apparatus, comprises. an arm or lever pivoted at its inner end to a suitablepart of the framework of the apparatus and having its outer end situated in the path of the coins inserted through the coin slot and suitably formed to be acted on by the coins the said outer end being providedwith a suitable I number of detents, notches or teeth preferably on its upper edge; and adapted to co-operate with the above I mentioned toothed arm or lever the inner end of an arm or pawl is pivotally connected at a suitable position to the hereinbefore mentioned main lever the outer suitably shaped end of the said pawl engaging with a tooth of the aforesaid toothed arm or lever, the arrangement being such that each coin inserted and acting on the outer end of the toothed lever or arm gives, through the pawl, an increment of movement to the main lever, the number of teeth on the said toothed arm or lever corresponding to the maximum number of coins with which the apparatus is designed to work.

Further, apparatus according to this invention comprises mechanism, which may be rackandpawl mechanism similar to that described and shewn in the specification of my British Letters Patent No.

114,476, whereby unless the proper coins, or the proper number of coins, are inserted in the apparatus the main lever or delivery mechanism will not be fully set or energized and consequently will not engage the hereinbefore mentioned catch or trip lever and therefore cannot bereleased so as to deliver a ticket or article from the machine.

The invention further consists in the mechanism having the several parts constructed, combined and adapted to act substantially as hereinafter described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawin which illustrates, byway of example only, the several features of the invention, shows only as much of the mechanism as is necessary for enabling the invention and its working to be understood. The drawing shews in side elevation a portion of the framework of a multiple coin freed delivery machine with mechanism according to this invention mounted thereon.

In the drawing, 1, is the front plate of the apparatus in which is provided as usual the coin slot 2 which, as shewn, is in the recessed part of, or it might be attached to, the plate 1, the coin slot 2 opening as usual into the outer end of the suitably inclined coin chute a the inner end of which opens into a vertical coin chute 5 of suitable dimensions in any direction to permit the largest coin with. which the machine is adapted to operate to drop into the said chute 5. Pref- 6 the lower end of this lever 9 being suitably formed or provided with a catch part 9 adapted to engage with the trip lever 110 which latter is pivotally connected to the plate 6 at 11. Asshewnthe trip lever 110 has formed on its upper side a suitable number of teeth or projections 12 of suitable form the number of these teeth correspond ing to the number of coins with which the machine isdesigned to work. Attached to the free end'or extension 12 of the lever 110 is a plate preferably a circular plate 13 which in the position of the trip lever 110 shewn in the drawing registers with or closes the lower end of the tubular coin chute 5, the plate 13 being at one side suitably bent downwardly as indicated at 13 to enable coins dropping on to the said plate to be discharged or to. slide off the plate as hereinafter described. 14 is a guide for the trip lever 110; this guide may, as shewn,

consist of a narrow plate or strip of metal bent at right angles adjacent each end and further bent to provide lugs 1 1. by which the guide is screwed onto the plate 6. Any other suitable form of guide may be employed. 15 is an angle piece secured to the plate 6, as shewn, by the screw 16, the angle piece forming a stop for the main lever 9 in the position shewn. 17 is a circular plate or traycsuit-ably.mounted on the part or extension 18 of a rock bar or rod, 19

'which is pivotally connected at 20 to the plate 6, the rod or rock bar 19 as shewn being screw threaded and having adjustably mounted on it an internally screwed piece 22 forming a counterweight for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. 21 is a pin or projection suitably secured at its inner end to the plate 6 and forming a stop for the rod 19 in the position shewn. 23 and 23 are suitable springs, as shewn, consisting of resilient strips of steel or other suitable metal secured at their ends 24 and 24;" respectively to the plate 6, the spring 23 at its free end operating against the lower face or edge of-the trip lever 110 as shewn, the spring 23 in this instance being an auxiliary spring backing the spring 23. As shewn these springs are relatively light springs which while being sulficiently strong to return the trip lever 110 into the position shewn after the coins have been discharged from the plate or tray 13 permit the trip lever 110 to be turned downwardly about its pivot 11 by the coins dropping on to the plate 13 as hereinafter described. 25 is the hereinbefore mentioned toothed arm, lever or detent pivoted at 26 to the plate 6 and having its outer end 27 lying in. the path of the coins inserted through the slot 2 at the entrance to the chute 1. As shewn the outer end 27 extends into the upper part of the chute which, for this purpose, is open at the top to a sufficient extent to, permit the outer end or portion of the arm 25 to enter the chute. 28 is a pin or projection, fixed at its inner end to the plate 6, and acting as a stop for retaining the arm 25 in theposit-ion shewn. 29 are the hereinbefore mentioned teeth on the upper edge of the end 27 of the detent or arm 25 these teeth being of suitable dimensions or pitch according to the number of coins with which the machine is adapted to operate. 30 is the hereinbefore mentioned pawl pivotally mounted at its inner end on the main lever 9, and 32 is a pin or projection fixed at its inner end to the plate-6 and acting as a stop for the pawl 30 in the position shown. The pawl 30 is clear of the teeth 29, until the arm 25 is raised. by a coin and the pawl 30 does not prevent the return movement of the lever 9 when free from the catch 110. The spring 37 moves the lever 9 back to its original position at a single stroke when the lever 9 is released from the catch. 110. 33 is a weight attached to the pawl 30 for ensuringthe engagement of its suitably formed outer end 3O with the teeth 29 of the detent or arm 25. As shown the weight 33 is adjustable on the horizontal screwed portion of the rod 341 the Vertical portion 34% of which is suitably secured. to the pawl 30.

35 is a slot in the plate 6 into and through which a rod, pin or projection 36, secured to the inner side of the main lever 9, 1')IO- jects, and 37 is a spring suitably attached at its inner end to pin 36 and at its outer end .to the front plate 1 for instance by means of the eye 38 attached to theinside of the plate as shewn. 39 indicates a cut-away portion or opening in the tubular coin chute 5 the said opening or cut-away portion being provided to permit of the downward movement of the coin tray 17 as hereinafter mentioned. I I

The mechanism as above described and shown has been designed for delivering an article, for instance a postage stamp, a railway ticket or other article, of the value of 1 d. and consequently there are threeteeth 29 on the arm of detent 25. p

The feeding mechanism for delivering the stamp, ticket or other article may be of any suitable design and is operatively connected to the main lever 9 adjacent the lower extremity thereof. In the case of a machine for delivering 1 d. postage stamps the feeding or delivery mechanism operable by the main lever 9 may be similar to, or the same as that described and illustrated in the specification or my British Letters Patent No. 114,476, and similar means for out ting oli" the stamp from the strip of stamps before delivery from the machine may also be employed.

The working of the apparatus is briefly follows:

Assuming that it is desired to obtain a postage stamp or article of the value of l d. from. the machine, it is, as hereinbe'tore mentionech' immaterial whether one penny and one half-penny are successively inserted through the coin slot 2 (and the order in which these coins are inserted is also immaterial), or whether three separate halt-pennies are successively inserted. Assuming that three separate half-pennies are employed the first half-penny pressed in through the slot 2 acts upon the end 27 of the arm or detent 25 and through the pawl 30 engaging the said detent the main lever 9 is moved, about'its pivot 10, inwardly through the predetermined distance forming one stage of the movement for setting the lever; on completion of this movement the half-penny rolls, down the chute 4- and comes to rest on the plate or tray 17 where it is retained, and the arm or detent 25 returns to the position shewn but owing to the movement given to the lever 9 the outer end 30 of the pawl 30 drops into engagement with the next tooth 29 to the right. On the second half-penny being pressed in through the slot 2 the mainlever 9 is moved through a further predetermined distance and the coin rolls down the chute 4 on to the tray 17 where it is retained the detent 25 again returning .to the position shewn and the other end ofthe pawl 80 moving into engagement with the next tooth towards the right. lVhen the third half-penny is pressed in through the slot 2 the same operation is repeated the main lever 9 being moved through the third stage of its movement and thus put into its fully set position in which its catch part or end 9 is, engaged and held by the right hand tooth (adjacentto the coin chute 5) 12 on the trip lever 110. As each increment or stage of movement is given to the lever 9 as above describedthe catch part 9 is engaged by each succeeding tooth 12 on the trip lever 110, until, as above-mentioned, it is finally engaged by the extreme right hand tooth. As soon as thethird half-penny is dropped on to the tray 17 the weight of the three coins on this tray is suiiicient to over balance the weight 22' on thevrod 19 which is consequently rocked about its pivot; 20 so that in the downward movement of the tray 17 the coins drop off the said tray upon the chute 5 and on to the tray 13 of the end or extension 12 of the tripv lever 110 and the said end 12 and the tray 13 being thus moved downwardly so that the last or right hand tooth 2 onthe lever 110 is disengaged from the end or catch part 9 of the lever 9 which is thusv released and under the action of the spring 37 is moved back to the position shewn and in this movement it actuates the feeding or delivery mechanism so as a to deliver the stamp through asuitable aperture in' the front plate 1 of the machine for instance in a similar manner to that described with reference to the apparatus as shown in the specification of my said British Letters Patent No. 114, 17 6. i

If a penny and a half-penny are used for operating the mechanism, assuming the penny to be first pressed in through the coin slot 2 it will act upon the end 27 of the detent or toothed arm and through the pawl 30 move the main lever 9 about its pivot 10 towards the right the movement thus given to the lever 9 being sufiicient to pickup two teeth 12 on the trip lever 110,

and when the detent 25 drops to the position shown the pawl 80 will have picked up two of the teeth29 onthe detent 25. The penny inserted passes down the chute 4 and comes to rest on the tray 17. Onthe halt-penny now being pressed on to the slot 2 the final stage of part of the movement is given to the lever 9 as 'hereinbefore described the catch part 9 of the lever picking up and being engaged by the last tooth (towards the right) on the lever .110. On the halfpennyrolling down the chute you to the tray 17 the rod to which the tray 17 is attached, is rocked upon the pivot 20 so that the coin drops off the tray 17 on to the tray 13 so that the trip lever 110 is depressed, turning about its pivot 11, whereby the end 9 of the lever 9 is released and the said leveris returned to the position shewn by means of'the spring 37 as hereinbefore described.

In the case where a relatively. large number of coins, for instance five or six, mi 'ht have to be inserted for actuating the mec ianism above described (for instance in the case of a machinev designed to deliver a packet of cigarettes or some other article of the value of 5 d.) the number of teeth 29 on the detent or arm 25 would be correspondingly increased and the size of the teeth 29 would if necessary be suitably decreased; as it will be understood that in this case each coin inserted would move the lever 9 to the right through a relatively small distance as compared with a machine adapted to be operated by a lesser number of coins. In this case also the number of teeth 12 on the trip lever 110 would be increased and the length or dimensionsof these teeth would be suitably reduced. Further in this casein order to get the full movement required on the main lever 9 the point atwhich the pawl 30 is pivoted to the main lever would be at a greater distance from the fulcrum or pivot 10 of the said leverthan in the case of the mechanism shewn in the accompanying drawing, the point at which the detent or arm 25 is pivoted to plate 6 being correspondingly lowered.

In the machine as hereinbefore described with reference'to the accompanying drawing the trip lever 110 with its teeth 12 acts to prevent operation of the apparatus for de livering the stamp or article unless the proper coins, or the proper number ofcoins are inserted in the apparatus the trip lever 110 thus performing the functions of the hercinbefore mentioned rack and pawl mechanism described and shewn in the speci fication of my British Letters Patent No. 114,47 6. r

Variations might be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the various parts of the mechanism as1hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawingv without departing from the main features of the invention,

So far as I am aware I am the first to provide a coin-freed delivery apparatus in which the delivery mechanism is energized in successive stages by a plurality of coins, which may be of the same or of different values, successivelyinserted in the appara tus, the energizing of the delivery mechanism being completed by the insertion of thefrom moving backward prematurely, means for retracting the catch by coin action when all the necessary coins have been inserted into the machine, and means, for moving the delivery device backwardly to its original position at a single stroke when the said catch is retracted.

2. In a coin-controlled machine, a pivoted delivery lever, a receiving device for the coins, means for moving the delivery lever forwardly step by step at each insertion of a coin into the receiving device, a catch for preventing the delivery lever from moving backwardly prematurely, and a retaining dev'icewhich holds the coins in the said receiving device until a predetermined weight of coins has been inserted therein, and which then permits the coins to release the delivery device from the said catch.

3. In a coin-controlled machine, a receiving device for the coins, a pii oted serrated aim operated by the coins as they enter the receiving device, a delivery device, a pawl carried by the delivery device and engaging with the serrations of the said arm so that the delivery device is moved forwardly step by step at each insertion of a coin, a catch for preventing the delivery device from moving backwardly prematurely, and a retaining device which holds the coins in the said receiving device until a predetermined weight of coins has been inserted therein, and which then permits the coins to release the delivery device from the said catch.

4. In a coin controlled machine, a pivoted delivery device, means for moving the delivery device forwardly to one end of its stroke step by step upon the insertion of coins into the machine, a catch which engages with the delivery device and prevents it from moving backwardly prematurely, means for retaining the coins in the machine until all the necessary coins have been inserted and then automatically permitting them to retract the said catch and release the delivery device, and means for moving the delivery backwardly at a single stroke when .thus released.

5. In a coin-controlled machine, a delivery device provided with a detent, a receiv ing device for the coins, means for moving the delivery device forwardly step by step at each insertion of a coin into the-receiving device, a pivoted catch provided with serrations which engage with the said detent and prevent the delivery device from moving backwardly prematurely, and a retain" ing device which holds the coins in the said receiving device until a predetermined weight of coins has been inserted therein, and which then permits the coins to release the delivery device from the. said catch.

6. In a coin-controlled machine, a pivoted delivery device, an inclined receiving chute for the coins, means for moving the delivery device forwardly step by step ateach in sertion of a coin into the receiving chute, a catch for preventing the delivery device from moving backwardly prematurely, a guide chute arranged at an angle to the receiving chute, a retaining device which holds the coins in the receiving chute until a predetermined weight of coins has been inserted therein, and which then permits the accumulated coins to pass down the said guide chute and release the delivery device from the said catch, and means for mov ing the delivery device backwardly'to its original position at a single stroke When released from the said catch.

7. In a coin controlled machine, a pivoted delivery lever, a receiving device for the coins, a pivoted arm arranged in the path of the coins inserted in the machine and provided with a series of teeth, a pawl pivoted to the delivery lever and engaged by the said teeth one after another as the coins are inserted, a catch which normally prevents the return movement of the pivoted lever from each of the positions to which it is moved step by step by the said arm and pawl, means for retaining the coins in the receiving device until all the necessary coins have been inserted and then automatically permitting them to operate the catch and release the delivery lever, and means for effecting the return movement of the delivery lever at a single stroke when thus released.

8. In a coin controlled machine, a pivoted delivery lever, coin-operated means for moving the delivery lever forwardly to one end of its stroke step by step upon the forcible insertion of coins into the machine, a catch Which normally prevents the return movement of the delivery lever, means which effect the release of the said lever from the said catch by action of the last coin when all the necessary coins have been inserted into the machine, and means for effecting the return movement of the delivery lever at a single stroke when thus released.

9. In a coin controlled machine, a pivoted delivery lever, a receiving chute for the coins, means for movingthe delivery lever forwardly step by step to one end of its stroke upon the insertion of coins into the coin chute, a pivoted tray for receiving the coins from the receiving chute and automatically discharging them all simultaneously when a predetermined amount of money has accumulated in it, a coin delivery chute arranged below the said tray, a pivoted catch arranged in the path of the coins through the delivery chute and normally preventing the return movement of the delivery lever, and means for effecting the return movement of the delivery lever at a single stroke when the said catch is retracted by the accumulated coins discharged on it by the pivoted tray.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY BROOKER.

Witnesses:

W. H. LINSON, W. BUCK. 

